Courts

Woman avoids animal welfare conviction over the condition of her dog

Judge says the woman complied with his order on paying legal costs and making a charity donation

Judge Halpin heard that the dog was surrendered to the Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Photograph: iStock

Tue Sep 6 2022 - 21:16

A woman has avoided an animal welfare conviction over the condition of her dog, which was described as “eaten alive by maggots”, after paying €3,000 in prosecution costs and a charity donation.

Chloe Rogers (25), of South Circular Road, Rialto, Dublin, pleaded guilty to an offence under the Animal Health and Welfare Act for neglecting her 14-year-old Japanese Spitz and causing unnecessary suffering on September 2nd, 2021.

Following an eight-week adjournment, Judge Halpin said she had complied with his order on paying legal costs and making a charity donation. He applied the Probation of Offenders Act, sparing her a conviction.

Judge Halpin heard that the dog was surrendered to the Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA).

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After the dog was taken he was found to have a large spleen tumour, bacterial infection and endocarditis, and had to be euthanised, DSPCA vet Elise O’Bryne White said.

The court heard that the problem with maggots had begun 16 days before.

After hearing the vet’s evidence of maggots feeding on the dog’s open wounds, Judge Halpin told prosecution counsel Matthew Holmes he did not wish to see the photographic evidence. “I wouldn’t be able to look at those photos; that’s disgusting,” he said.

The offence can result in a maximum €5,000 fine, a pet ownership ban and a six-month sentence.

Asking for leniency, defence solicitor Fergal Boyle said his client had never been in trouble before; she planned to move abroad, and a conviction could affect her career.

Judge Halpin said she worked in a caring industry “and had a dog being eaten alive by maggots”.

Mr Boyle said she panicked and had attempted to contact a vet before the dog was surrendered.

Judge Halpin also noted the condition of the pet’s matting, adding, “that does not happen overnight”. He estimated that this case would have been a nine on a one-to-10 scale of seriousness due to the pain suffered by “the poor animal”.

He said, however, that she had no prior criminal convictions and warned her she was getting “one last chance”. He said he had to consider it was out of character and that she did not deliberately allow her dog to suffer like that.

He said he would apply the Probation of Offenders Act if she paid €1,500 toward the prosecution costs. He also ordered her to donate the same amount to the Little Flower Penny Dinners charity to help underprivileged people in Dublin city centre’s Liberties area.

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